Projects for Parkway East, several other passages may alter traffic patterns

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The first frost might be on the pumpkins, but that doesn't signal the imminent disappearance of another orange-hued feature of the local landscape -- road construction barrels.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is advancing several projects this week that could cause traffic issues on the Parkway East, Route 28, the 10th Street Bypass in Downtown, Interstate 79 and a handful of secondary roads.

Also, the Port Authority and city of Pittsburgh are moving ahead with a long-sought reconstruction of Warrington Avenue in Beltzhoover, along what used to be the Allentown light-rail line.

On the Parkway East, traffic will be limited to one lane in the outbound Squirrel Hill Tunnel starting at 10 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday as crews get ready for next year's major renovation work on that side. The restriction will be lifted by 6 a.m. Wednesday and Friday.

The ramp from Grant Street to the outbound Parkway East will close at 7 a.m. today around the clock through Oct. 7 for replacement of expansion dams and work on rocker bearings. The ramp from Grant to the inbound parkway will close nightly at 9 p.m. for overhead work on the outbound ramp. It will reopen by 5 a.m. each day.

PennDOT will close the northbound Route 28 off-ramp to Millvale (Exit 3) at 7 a.m. next Monday for various repairs. The around-the-clock closure will continue through late October. (The closure had been scheduled for this week but was postponed today.)

Southbound traffic on Route 28 will be restricted to one lane between the 40th Street Bridge and East Ohio Street as needed after 8 p.m. weekdays today through Oct. 5 for continuing work on the mega-project. Brief traffic stoppages in both directions are possible for truck access. Work concludes by 5 a.m. daily.

Roadway sealing on Route 28 will cause temporary restrictions in both directions between Blawnox-Freeport Road and Creighton starting at 7 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 12. Restrictions end by 6 a.m. daily.

The Fancourt Street Bridge, which carries Fort Duquesne Boulevard over the 10th Street Bypass, will close at 10 p.m. Thursday around the clock through late December for reconstruction. The ramps from the inbound Fort Pitt Bridge and Fort Duquesne Bridge to the 10th Street Bypass also will be closed.

Inspections will cause lane restrictions on southbound I-79 at Carnegie (Exit 57) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, and on the northbound side from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The inbound Fort Pitt Tunnel will be restricted to one lane starting at 10 p.m. today through Thursday, with restrictions lifted by 5:30 a.m. daily.

Freeport Road will have alternating one-way traffic between East Oakhill and Old Freeport roads in O'Hara from 7 a.m. today through next Monday during concrete patching.

Repair of the bridge on Lesnett Road over McLaughlin Run in Upper St. Clair will cause short-term periodic lane closures from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Oct. 15.

Warrington Avenue reconstruction begins today between Haberman and Estella avenues. Work will occur on one side at a time, and detours and parking restrictions will be imposed. Sidewalks also will be closed at times.

Information about bus detours is available at www.portauthority.org. The first phase will take about six weeks, then work will be suspended for the winter. Rail grinding will occur along Warrington and Arlington avenues through Friday, causing alternating one-way traffic at times.